Look no further than the buzz sent throughout the sports world on Sunday as your

first sign of spring. Tiger Woods won

his first PGA Tour event in two-and-a- half years on Sunday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Golf and Country Club in Orlando, Fla.

Woods’ victory was refreshing to the sporting world and the golf community. With 14 majors and 72 career victories, Woods is currently fourth in all-time wins and second in all-time majors. It’d be a safe bet to say that Tiger Woods posters have adorned some walls

throughout the years.

Ryan Herter was no different than any other golf-loving child growing up.

“I absolutely loved Tiger,” Herter said. “Tiger and Freddy Couples were my favorites.”

Herter is a senior on the Creighton men’s golf team and grew up on the south side of Chicago playing the best public courses the city had to offer. He frequented Cog Hill Golf and Country Club as often as he could; the same Cog Hill that’s home to one of the top events on the PGA Tour every year, the BMW Championship.

Herter always knew he wanted to play a sport in college. He just always thought that sport would be baseball.

“When I was a junior in high school I threw out my throwing shoulder, so I just shifted all of my focus on golf,” Herter said.

While playing his senior season for Joliet Township High School, he qualified for the Illinois State Tournament, where he was seen by college golf coaches from throughout the Midwest. One of those coaches happened to be former Creighton golf coach, Bob Hansen. Hansen recruited Herter to come golf for the Bluejays, and finally, there was Herter’s chance to become a collegiate athlete.

His time at Creighton has, for the most part, been enjoyable.

Despite a coaching change after his freshman season (Creighton’s current coach is Chris Wiemers, who doubles as the golf pro at Happy Hollow Country Club), Herter considers himself lucky.

“I mean, I get to play golf every day,” Herter said. “That’s pretty cool.”

Every year, Herter and his teammates get the opportunity to travel to golf hotspots such as Florida, Arizona and California. This spring alone, they’ve traveled to Orange County National Golf Club in Orlando, Fla. and multiple courses in Phoenix, Ariz.

“Some pretty unbelievable golf courses,” teammate and fellow senior Kevin Stanek said. For a week leading up to every tournament

the Jays compete in, the ten members on the team battle each other in practice rounds for six spots to compete against other universities in the tournament. It’s healthy competition for Herter and his teammates, who all happen to love golf.

“Ryan especially loves competing for these spots,” sophomore Collin Craft said. “We all do, but there’s something about Ryan in which the competitiveness in him is really palpable.”

Herter admits most Division 1 athletes are quite competitive. Yes, even the golfers.

“Competing with these guys on the golf course every day,” Herter said. “What could be better?”